Dahlia plant named ‘Baldahcan’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldahcan’, characterized by its semi-double, daisy-type, light yellow-orange colored inflorescences having a dark red “eye”, dark green-colored foliage, low growth vigor, and compact, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldahcan’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baldahcan’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Hem, The Netherlands during August 2015. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Dahlia cultivars that are freely flowering with mid-early season flower timing, and a compact, upright-mounded growth habit.

The new Dahlia cultivar is the result of open pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is DAHLIETTA Surprise Demi ‘Baldademi’, not patented, characterized by its semi-double, daisy-type, medium lilac colored inflorescences having a dark burgundy “eye”, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, upright-mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open pollination during July 2016 in a controlled environment in Hem, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since July 2016 in Hem, The Netherlands and Andijk, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true-to-type with all the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldahcan’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Semi-double, daisy-type, light yellow-orange colored         inflorescences having a dark red “eye”;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage;     -   3. Low growth vigor; and     -   4. Compact, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having light yellow and dark red colored inflorescences and decreased growth vigor.

Of the many commercially available Dahlia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is DAHLIETTA Tessy ‘Dapared’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,143. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Dapared’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have light yellow-orange colored         inflorescences having a dark red “eye” that is different from         the red colored inflorescences of plants of ‘Dapared’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have fewer ray and fewer disc         florets than plants of ‘Dapared’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Baldahcan’. The 11-week-old plants were grown in 6.5-inch pots for 7 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hem, The Netherlands. Plants were given one pinch before transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Baldahcan’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Baldahcan’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in February 2021 under natural light conditions in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe 11-week-old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in Hem, The Netherlands in 6.5-inch pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch before transplant. Three Daminozide treatments were applied: one at 2,500 ppm two weeks after transplant, a second at 3,000 ppm four weeks after transplant and a third at 3,500 ppm six weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at an average of approximately 64° F. (18° C.) during the day and approximately 61° F. (16° C.) during the night. Supplemental lighting was used. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis ‘Baldahcan’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—DAHLIETTA Surprise Demi ‘Baldademi’, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 9 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Low growth vigor,             compact, upright-mounded.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 14.8 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 13.8 cm. Width: Approximately 24.9             cm.         -   Branch.—Quantity of lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 7. Strength: Moderately strong. Length of             lateral branch: Approximately 7.0 cm. Diameter of lateral             branch at central internode: Approximately 4.5 mm. Length of             central internode of lateral branch: Approximately 1.2 cm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 12. Type: Simple. Fragrance: None detected.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole mostly perpendicular angle to stem             with blade extending downward. Shape: Ovate. Margin: Widely             serrate. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly attenuate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length: Approximately 9.7 cm. Width:             Approximately 6.6 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent on             venation. Color of upper surface: NN137A. Color of lower             surface: 191A.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 146B to 146C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Baldahcan’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from early summer through autumn.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 2 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Semi-double, daisy-type,             composite, consisting of multiple rows or ray florets, and             disc florets, persistent. Aspect: Facing upward and outward.             Arrangement: Terminal, arising from leaf axils on strong             peduncles positioned over the foliage. Disc and ray florets             arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Quantity per plant:             Approximately 2. Fragrance: None. Shape: Hemispherical when             ray florets are fully open. Inflorescence diameter:             Approximately 7.5 cm. Inflorescence depth: Approximately             4.2 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately 1.0 cm. Receptacle             diameter at base: Approximately 8.0 mm. Receptacle depth:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Receptacle color: 138B.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 8.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 146C.         -   Bud.—Rate of bud opening: Generally takes 2 weeks for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 15.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblate. Depth at first             color: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter at first color:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Outer             surface of the phyllaries 150A with base of 144B, and             immature ray florets of 22A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 48.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in multiple whorls. Aspect:             Moderately concave. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Appearance: Matte. Length:             Approximately 3.4 cm. Width: Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface:             Sparsely pubescent, ribbed. Color of upper surface when             first and fully open: 5B with base and center of 42A. Color             of lower surface when first and fully open: 31A with distal             third of 13C. Color of upper surface before senescence: 7B             with base and center of 42A. Color of lower surface before             senescence: 31C with distal two thirds of 10A.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 17.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Aspect:             Erect. Shape: Tubular. Margin: Entire. Apex: 5 acute tips.             Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter at apex:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color when fully open: 12A,             translucent.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 6. Aspect: Flat,             reflexed. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly             acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width:             Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface: NN137B. Color of lower             surface: 137C.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 1 per floret.             Shape: Linear, imbricate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly             acute to obtuse. Base: Truncate. Length of outermost:             Approximately 1.8 cm. Width of outermost: Approximately             5.0 mm. Length of innermost: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width of             innermost: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 154B,             translucent with 143A at base of outermost.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: On disc florets. Stamen             quantity: 5 per floret. Stamen length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Anther color: 13A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             24A. Gynoecium: On disc and sometimes on ray florets. Pistil             length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: 2 branched.             Stigma length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma width:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma color: 17A to 17B. Style             length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Style color: 154C. Ovary             length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 145B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Dahlia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldahcan’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 